Sulphur Tubic

Sulphur Tubic

Esperia sulphurella

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Birmingham

In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%

38 Verified sightings at Birmingham
15 In all 2 parks From 2019 to 2026
April Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Sulphur Tubic

Esperia sulphurella, also known as the sulphur tubic, is a species of gelechioid moth in the family Oecophoridae. It is native to Europe, but has been introduced in California. Adults have a body length of 6–8 millimetres (0.24–0.31 in), and its wingspan is 12–16 millimetres (0.47–0.63 in). The wingspan is between 12 and 16 millimeters. They have a dark brown ground colour. The forewing has a pale yellow marking. The predominantly pale yellow hind wings are dark brown at the tips. At about two-thirds of the length of the antennae, the antennae have a white band.

They are on wing in spring. The larvae are black and feed on dead wood. Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
2 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 London 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
2 Birmingham 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
3 Rome 🇮🇹 Italy
~10%
4 Istanbul 🇹🇷 Turkey
~10%
5 Brussels 🇧🇪 Belgium
~10%
6 Paris 🇫🇷 France
~10%
7 Liverpool 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
~10%
8 Lyon 🇫🇷 France
<5%
9 Sacramento 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
10 Essen 🇩🇪 Germany
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Sulphur Tubic in Birmingham?

With luck

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Sulphur Tubic sighting in Birmingham on a given day, based on 38 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 213th most-seen of the 811 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Sulphur Tubic in Birmingham?

April and May

In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Sulphur Tubic in Birmingham on a given day, against under 5% in June to March, the lowest months.

What time of day is best to see a Sulphur Tubic?

Between noon and 3 pm

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Sulphur Tubic sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Birmingham the best place to see a Sulphur Tubic?

Among the best

Of the 15 cities where we can rate Sulphur Tubic sightings, Birmingham ranks 2nd at about 10%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in London (United Kingdom, about 10%).

Which relatives of the Sulphur Tubic live in Birmingham?

Same family: Oecophoridae

The closest relatives of the Sulphur Tubic that you can see in Birmingham (family Oecophoridae, Concealer Moths) are White-Shouldered House Moth (about 10%), Ruddy Streak (about 10%) and Brown House Moth (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Sulphur Tubic sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Sulphur Tubic is recorded against all the insects logged in Birmingham (38 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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